Despatch-tube switch



3 Sheets-Shget 1.

(Nd Mode 1.) I

L. G. BOSTEDO.

DESPATOH TUBE SWITGEL. M No. 563,550. Patented July 7, 1896.

Illllllli (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. G. BOSTEDO.

DESPATGH TUBE SWITCH.

No. 563,550. PaQtentedJuIy 7,1896.

I N WWII" (No M0de 1.)- a Sheets-Sheet a.

- L. G. BOSTEDO.

, DESPATOH TUBE SWITCH. No. 563,550. Patented July 7, 1896.

x F s Q h m h R HR H k x H fi- FQ R H x R 4 K '6 I) H H a H U UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS G. BOSTEDO, .OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

- DESPATCH-TUBE SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 563,550, dated July '71896.

Application filed February 7, 1893. Serial No. 461,311. (No model.) I

. particularly to a system having a despatchtube provided with areceiver communicating with the tube and provided with valves adapted toopen to permit the carrier to drop through into the bottom portion ofthe receiver, which is also provided with a hinged door through whichthe carrier may be discharged or be removed. The carriers are graduatedand are adapted to operate each upon its own switch, so that thecarriers operate only the switch at the receptacle for which they aredestined. The switch in the preferred construction comprises a pivotedarm which is arranged to span the discharge-aperture in the wall of thedespatch-tube and which is lifted by a bail so constructed as to permitthe passage of the carriers through it, and which bail is connected to apivoted arm carrying an actuating-bar, the several actuating-bars beinggraduated to correspond with the respective carriers with which they areintended to coact.

In the operation of the device, when the carrier reaches its properstation it engages the actuating-bar in such manner as to cause it tolift the arm which, through the bail, raises the switch and causes thecarrier to be deflected so as to discharge through the aperture of thedespatch-tube, whereupon it will drop through the valve into the lowerpart of the receptacle and opening the door thereof pass out at thebottom, the valve and door closing behind the carrier to prevent theescape of the motor fluid. I have also provided a latch which-willcounteract rebound of the switch, after it has been lifted by the bail,at such time as it might interfere with the carrier.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation partly in sectionand with the side of the receiver removed. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the carrier in the act of being discharged and the severalmoving parts being in a position corresponding to the position of thecarrier. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on the line 3 3, Fig. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 4 is a detail view showing acarrier of different length and construction than that shown in Fig. 1.Figs. 5, 5 and 5 represent sections or different portions of the samemain tube, showing carriers of different lengths and a series ofactuating-bars of varying lengths.

In the drawings, A represents the receiver, which may be a suitablytight box adapted to inclose the despatch-tube B at a point wherein thelatter is provided with an aperture in its lower side.

0 represents the carrier, which may be of usual construction, and theseveral carriers differ from each other in respect to graduation.

D represents an operating-arm, which is pivoted to the despatch-tube andprojects into the receiver, where at its forward end it is connectedwith a bail E (shown in Fig.

.13) and of such form as to permit the passage of a carrier through it.The bifurcations of this bail are connected at their lower ends by arode,which is connected with the switcharm F, the latter being pivoted at fupon a bracket G, secured in a separate compartment of the receptacle.

I-I represents a counterweight, which is connected to the switch-armbehind its pivot, and the lower end of this weight may have an eye h, tobe engaged by the hook of a pivoted latch K, having a trip-arm ortrigger which projects into the body of the receptacle. Upon the arm Dthere is pivoted an actuating-bar L, which has bent ends Z, adapted toproject through apertures in the top of the despatch-tube. For thepurpose of graduation these arms may be of different lengths at thedifferent stations and the carriers of corresponding lengths. Thisdifference of construction is illustrated in Fig. 4, where the carrier Bhas a cylindric extension 0 with a flange c.

In Figs. 5, 5, and 5 the actuating mechanisms for a series of stationsare illustrated, the arrows indicating the direction of movement of thecarrier, and by reference to the several pivoted actuating-bars it willbe observed that they are progressively shorter,

commencing with the one at the left of Fig.

. lengths.

5 and reading through the remaining figures from left to right. It willbe understood that the shortest one is arranged at the most remotestation. The several carriers will be respectively of such lengths as toengage each with its own appropriate actuating-bar. Thus, for example,as shown in Fig. 5, a carrier is in operative engagement at the left ofthe view, while the carrier at the right of the view is shown as passinga station beyond which it is destined. In the means of graduation shownthe length of carrier corresponds to the length of its bar, and thecarrier will not operate the bar except when the projections Z l of thebar engage the flanges of the carrier. Thus, if only the flange at theforward end of the carrier is in engagement with a projecting arm of theactuating-bar the latter will be rocked on its pivot, permittingthecarrier to pass. \Vhen both ends of the bar L are engaged with thecarrier, the actuatingbar will be raised and thereby the long arm willbe lifted, thus raising the bail and through it the switch, and theparts will then assume the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, thecarrier being deflected by the switch-arm and being in position todischarge between the pivoted leaves M, which constitute the uppervalve. The carrier will be projected from the tube in a direction to engage the end trip-arm of the latch K, which projects within thereceptacle, and will therefore trip the latch and permit the switch-armto decend, but to insure the releasing of the switch-arm it may be foundexpedient to employ the spring S, connecting the trip-arm of the latchwith the lower door or valve IV. hen the carrier strikes this door, thelatter will open, thus tensioning the spring S and withdrawing the latchfrom the counterbalance-weight and the switch-arm will descend bygravity.

It is Obvious that the particular graduation shown is not essential tothe operation of the invention. I have depended in this illustra tionupon the length of the carriers and upon making the actuating-bars ofcorresponding Instead of this, however, the actuating-bars may beadapted to be operated by carriers of different diameters in a mannerwhich is well known to those skilled in the art, and which thereforedoes not require specific description.

One of the advantages of this system is that the device is entirelymechanical. Electrically-operated switches are common, but they requirethe installation of electrical apparatus, which is delicate andtherefore likely to get out of order. Another advantage of this systemis that it can be applied to a single tube arranged to make a circuit ofthe salesmens and cashiers stations, and the placing of a carrier in thetube by any salesman along the line will not interfere with thesimultaneous deposit in the tube of a carrier at the cashiers station,whereas in a system controlled electrically from the cashiers stationtwo tubes are necessarily employed because the switch controlled by thecashier might be wrongly set for a carrier deposited by the salesman.

Instead .of the bail shown, a curved arm which will permit the passageof the carriers may be employed, and the preciseconstruction andarrangement of the several parts is not of the essence of the invention.The counterbalance is useful because it is desirable to pivot theactuating-bar close to the pivot of the switch, so as to require but aslight movement of the bail to lift the front end of the switchsufficient to deflect the carrier, and the leverage thus obtained beingslight the counterbalance assists in the operation. The latch and itstripping mechanism may be dispensed with, but it is useful to preventthe rebound of the switch after it has been raised by the bail. Themovement is so rapid that the switch-arm will in operation be thrownagainst the top of the tube and a tendency to rebound therefore exists.

In Fig. 4: I have shown an improved construction of carrier, whichconsists in provid ing it with a metal cap 0, which partially covers thefelt used as a packing, and this metal cap will take the wear which willbe caused by the impingement of the carrier upon the projecting ends ofthe actuating-bars. The contacting surfaces are preferably rounded, soas to prevent shock and jar. The felt itself being elastic, could not bedepended upon to move the bar, and if made compact or solid it wouldstill be subject to wear and would not form a proper air-tight jointwhile moving through the tube. The cap, it will be seen, does not engagethe wall of the tube, and the function of the felt is therefore notinterfered with.

The bodies of the several carriers are of the same length, and tograduate them to correspond with the several actuating-bars I apply tothe ends of the carriers the cylindric sections 0, which are of varyinglengths. These sections 0 are made cylindric because the carrier doesnot always move through the tube in the same position, and by thiscylindric extension the position of the carrier in moving through thetube becomes unimpor tant.

Among the variations of structural detail it may also be mentioned thatinstead of employing a despatch-tube having an aperture therein and apivoted switch, a section of the despatch-tube may itself be pivoted andserve as a switch, the other features of construction remainingpractically as above described.

lVithout limiting my invention to precise details of construction, Iclaim 1. The combination with a despatch-tube, of a pivoted switch, anarm pivoted at one end upon the tube and connected at its opposite endwith the switch, and an actuatingbar carried by the pivoted arm andhaving its ends projected through the wall of the tube into the path ofthe carrier and adapted to be operatively engaged by a carrier to liftthe arm and operate the switch, substantially as described.

2. A despatch-tube system comprising in combination a tube having adischarge-aperture in its wall, a pivoted switch spanning said aperture,an arm pivotally connected at one end to the tube and also connected atits opposite end to a bail, said bail being connected with the switchand an actuating-bar pivotally mounted on the arm and having its endsprojected through apertures in the tube and adapted when both of saidends are engaged by a carrier to lift the arm and thereby the switchwhereby to deflect the carrier through the aperture, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a switching device for despatch-tubes, the combination with apivoted switch spannin g the discharge-aperture of the tube, of an armpivoted at one end to the tube and carrying an actuating-bar, a bailpivotally connecting said arm with the switch and a counterbalanceapplied to the switch behind its pivot, substantially as described.

4. In a switching device for despatch-tubes, the combination with apivoted switch spanning the discharge-aperture of the tube, of an armpivoted at one end to the tube and carrying an actuating-bar, a bailpivotally connecting said arm with the switch, a counterbalance appliedto the switch behind its pivot, and a latching mechanism to engage thecounterbalance when the switch is raised and having a trip-arm adaptedto be engaged by the descending carrier, substantially as described.

5. A carrier for a despatch-tube system having its end provided with apacking material whereby to form a suitable air-tight joint while movingthrough the tube, a metal cap applied to the end of said carrier andpartially covering the packing material and said cap being adapted toserve as an element to operate a tripping device, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a despatch-tube system, the combination with a series ofreceptacles each having a switch whereby to deflect the carrier, of aseries of graduated actuating-bars and a series of carriers havingcylindric extensions of varying lengths corresponding with the severalactuating-bars, substantially as described. LOUIS G. BOSTEDO.WVitnesses:

O. O. LINTHICUM, N. M. BOND.

